When it’s time to make a new home for a loved one in assisted living, the comforts of friendly caretakers and a home-like environment encourage comfort and peace of mind. Park Vista Health Center, nestled in the foothills of Fullerton adjacent to Morningside Retirement Community, offers an appealing alternative for seniors needing assistance with their daily routines such as bathing, dressing and medication reminders.
Park Vista offers resident-centered care through assisted living, rehabilitation, 24-hour short-term and long-term skilled nursing while encouraging independence, companionship, and self-esteem. The medical team, administrators, therapists and attendants aim to maximize the potential of all residents while providing peace of mind for those who love them.
Park Vista Assisted Living offers six distinctive floor plans, many with a garden view or a private balcony. The spacious apartments combine elegance with function, equipped with a kitchenette, large bathrooms with walk-in showers and pull-down seats, in-room climate control, and an emergency call system with an optional personal pendant. The excellent housekeeping staff provides weekly cleaning services with both personal clothing and linens laundered weekly. Although on- and off-site activities are encouraged for residents who are able, the center also has a beauty salon and barbershop so residents can conveniently look and feel their best.
One important aspect of an enjoyable relocation is the comfort and familiarity of nourishing food that addresses the needs of the individual while satisfying the desires of the palette. A trained culinary team serves three delicious meals a day in a restaurant-style dining room along with an assortment of healthy daily snacks. There is a private dining room for special gatherings of family and friends, and room service accommodations are available following a surgery or rehabilitation.
Karrie Castles, dietary manager and food protection professional at Park Vista since 2005, knows firsthand the importance of dietary counseling and therapeutic diets that also satisfy the residents.
“My team and I try our best to make their meals and dining experience the most 'home-like' as we can,” Karrie says. “My favorite part of my job is when I meet with the residents one-on-one. I have so much respect for the elderly, and I truly enjoy listening to their life stories. I value the wisdom they share with me.”
Not all residents are thrilled to be away from home, but the best compliment she ever received was from a gentleman who was very particular about his meals.
“I thought that I was never going to be able to meet his expectations regarding his meals, but before he left, he told me with a smile, 'Thank the cooks for me because I can tell that my meals are prepared with heart.'"
To obtain a modern atmosphere and up-to-date modern technology, Park Vista's skilled nursing section recently completed a major renovation of its kitchen and dining facilities, refurbishment of all resident rooms, common areas and the beauty salon. The Peralta dining room renovation is the latest project at Park Vista following the refurbishment of all the resident rooms, common areas and the beauty salon. As part of their mission to be a leader in the industry and provide the best possible care, they are always looking at different ways to enhance the quality of life and the experience of their residents.
The spacious Peralta dining room, located in skilled nursing, is flooded with light from the floor to ceiling windows with a view and exit to the park-like patio of the facility's recently renovated outdoor courtyard. The activities department decorates and rotates the cheerful and eclectic wall art weekly according to holidays and seasons—everything from pineapples and hula skirts in the summer, Halloween pumpkins and a cornucopia of gratitude and thankfulness messages in the autumn, to gigantic 3-D framed utensils just for fun.
At Park Vista Health Center, residents choose each meal from a selection of classic favorites and heart-healthy dishes such as soups, salads, grains, meats and desserts that strive to meet both their doctor’s recommendations and personal tastes. Attention is given to each resident’s doctor-prescribed dietary plan, such as low-sugar, gluten-free or soft foods, and also religious and cultural preferences with 36 hours advanced notice of admission.
The Gardens at Park Vista is the Memory Care Unit specially designed for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The presentation and consumption of food plays an important part in the individualized service plan. To assist this endeavor, the kitchen staff may prepare appealing finger foods or liquid foods as residents may forget to eat. If confusion arises with drinking, eating or using utensils and condiments, our team is prepared to assist. From the dietician, kitchen staff, nurses and assistants, Park View’s thoughtful dining and meal planning stimulates residents to enjoy and be nourished for prolonged independence and preserved dignity.
